70,000 customers still without power in Hudson County, PSE&G chief says

Some 70,000 PSE&G customers are still without power in Hudson County, PSE&G President Ralph LaRossa said this morning in a conference call.

There are still 35,000 customers without power in Jersey City, 10,000 in Hoboken, and 5,000 in Bayonne, LaRossa said.

Of the utility company's 246 substations, seven remain unrepaired, and five out of those seven power towns in Hudson County, LaRossa said.

LaRossa noted that Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken and the Hoboken University Medical Center once again have power.

He offered no specific timetable for a fix, simply saying he expects significant improvements by tomorrow.

Overall, LaRossa said that power has been been restored for roughly 1.2 million of the company's 2.1 million customers in New Jersey. In southern counties, including Camden, 95 percent of power has been restored, he said.

He also said that 80 percent of schools in the company's service area have power, as do 78 percent of gas stations, and PSE&G is making every effort to have polling places functioning for Tuesday's election.